Packing case



Nov. 23 1926. 4 1,608,046

R. W. STANLEY PACKING CASE Filed June 30. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 NVENTOR 17 15 1 M BY ATTORNEY Nov. 23 1926.

R. w; STANLEY PACKING CASE Filed Juxw. 50. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Z NVENYTOR Jazz I BY May ATTO RNEY Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

, UNITED STATES ROBERT w. STANLEY, or HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PACKING CASE.

Application filed June 30,

My invention relates to improvements in packing cases, and while my invention can be used'for a packing case for commodities generally, it is particularly intended for the 5 larger variety of packing cases, and by way of example I have in the accompanying specification and drawings described and shown it as applicable toknock-down automobiles, but as will appear, it can be used 1 for other things. The larger packing cases, and particularly automobile packing cases, are necessarily made of good lumber, and they require a large quantity of lumber which must be rather heavy in order to 1' withstand the rough usage to which the case is put. This makes it expensive, andmore so when the fact is taken -into consideration that he cases are ripped apart when once used and are not again usable. Moreover the lumber cases of this kind are bulky and of necessity rather thick, so thatthey add materially to the cost of freight in My invention is intended to obviate these difficulties, and to produce a more 'BCOIlOmlcal packing case which can far greater advantage and up, as easily taken down, and repeatedly used. In carrying outthis idea, I preferabl coniitruct it in Such a way that all the fastenings are external and easily accessible, so that the case can be easily fastened to gether and readily taken apart. Moreover I construct and arrange the package so that the metal need not be very thickand yet view of a corner part of the packing case,

will be exceptionally strong. In consonance with this idea I preferably have thebottom and top, sides and ends, united together through thennedium 'of meeting flanges, which obviously must extend in different directions, and which act as external ribs or braces, giving great strength to the connected parts and also facilitating easy fastening together and unfastening.

Another feature of my invention is that I dispose the fastenings so thatthey are within the planes of the adjacent flat per-,-

tions of the packing. case, and so offer-no opposition to close packing and easy ship- 7 and dispose of them in'such a mannerithat 5.5 if the package lies'adnisthexbestzsidemforalso be used to moreeasily set make the packing case of metal, and

nested for packing and shipment.

ping. Furthermore; I arrange the meeting flanges in such a way that they afford con-- venient holds. forhoisting hooks or they like,

1926. Serial No. 119,774.

shipping and packing, these holds can be easily engaged, but otherwise the flanges or holds are disposed so as to be difficult of engagement, to the end that the-handlers of freight will naturally pack the cases in the appropriate way for easy handling and for the easy engagement of hoistingmachinery or tools with the aforesaid holds or flanges. As a convenient means of disposing the flanges or holds and fastenings. so that they will be out of the planeof the flat part of the packing case, I incline the corner portions of the flat sides so that the flanges can be made on such inclined portions, and thus will fall easily within the external planes of the flat parts of the case. This will appear more clearly from the description which follows. 7

Reference is to be had to'the accompanying drawings forming a part of this'speci fication, in which similar reference characters lndicate correspondlng parts in all the views.

Figure 1 1S a plan V18W of a packing case showing my improvements.

Figure. 2 is aside elevation thereof. Figure 3 is an end view. Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on. the line 4tl of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showingihow parts of the packing casecan be Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5,

illustrating one way of nesting the end parts ofthe' case.

Figure 7 1s an enlarged detail sectional .but illustrating a modification.

By way of example I have illustrated a packing case embodying my invention and adapted for use in shipping knock down automobiles, but it will of course be understood that while the packing case is peculiarly adapted for this use, itcan also be used for shipping other things.

. The case. is, generally rectangularin shape I having a flat bott0m10; and a corresponding ,flat top 1 10', vertical sides} 11, and vertical ends 12, the Sides and. ends-uniting, the top: and: bottomas is usual in rec'tangularpackages; 3 The-sides and ends arepreferablycormgatled as. shown at. 13"- to; enable comparativelyj lightmetal to be used and still have the necessary stiffness, these parts being reinforced in this way because usually the cases are packed flatwise one on the other, and the vertical parts should be especially stiff; but if desired the other portions may be likewise corrugated a shown at 1 1 in Figure 1.

I find the most convenient and strongest way of uniting the parts is at the corners, and at the horizontal and vertical corners of the case. The method of securing the parts together will be best understood by reference to Figure 7 Here it will be seen the bottom 10, whichis shown of a little thicker material than the sides 12, is inclined upward at the edges forming the angle 15, and the sides and ends are similarly inclined as shown at 16, the parts 15 and 16 having meetingoutwardly extending flanges 17 and 18 which can. be conveniently fastened by bolts 19 or the like. Thus it will be seen that the fastening is exceptionally strong, and that the flanges and their fastenings lie outside of the packing case but within the planes of the adjacent parts 10 and 12, so that they offer no obstruction to ready packing of the cases one on the other, or of packing them in close connection with other goods. The sides 12 have inclines 16 corresponding to the inclines 16, and the sides and ends have corresponding inclines 16*, while the flanges are common to all the meeting parts and are fastened as shown.

By reference to Figure 7 it will be observed that the incline 15 is longer than the incline 16 01116, so that when the package is right side up, as for instance in Figure 2, grappling hooks or the like maybe easily placed over the sides and ends'and engaged with the lower flanges 1718, thus affording a very convenient way of lifting the package, and naturally the handlers of freight soon learn this and pack the cases right side up to save themselves work. If they should pack the cases on edge, for instance, it will be seen thatthis, by reason of the shorter incline 16, will bring the lower edges of the flanges 17 and 18 so near the floor or ground that they can not be readily engaged by the hooks.

Obviously so far asthe invention is con-' cerned, the flanges might be at any point he tween the sides of the adjacent parts, so long as they lie within the plane of said parts, but the arrangement which I have described and shown is preferable.

It will be seen at once that this package can be easily set up or knocked down, and

that when knocked down the tops and bee toms can be nested together, the sides nested, and the ends likewise nested, affording a conor shipvenient means of storing, packing,

ping the case in knocked down condition.

' Particular attention is called to the fact that in my improved structure all the corner.

edges of the packing case are inclined and the meeting fastening flanges lie within the planes of the next adjacent side. This not only affords a very firm and securemeans of fastening and of rigidly bracing the struc; ture, but it makes a package in which there is no waste space and one which is conducive therefore to low freight charges. Where a packing case, particularly for knock down automobiles, is internally flush tothe very corners, this means a lot of waste space because the corners are never filled; but by having all the corner edges inclined as shown, no loss of containing space occurs, because the inclined parts, as stated, occupy what would be empty space in an ordinary form of container. v

In Figure 8 I have shown that the meeting flanges for securing the parts together need not be integral with the said parts, and here flanges 20 and 21 in the "form of angle irons are riveted or otherwise secured to the adjacent inclined parts 15 and 16 of the case and theeifect is the same as already described.

In shipping automobiles or machinery, and in fact other things, it is often'desirable to have abut-ments or blocks disposed in various interior parts of the packing case as a support or anchor for parts, as for instance an axle, crank shaft, or other portions of the machine. To this end I arrange angle irons 23 within the case and rivet them to the bottom at desired parts. Blocks 2 1 of wood or other material canbe fastened to these angles, and answer the purpose of anchoring means for the mechanical or other parts as stated.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have produced a simple and strong packing case which, can be easily stamped or otherwise shaped, which can be readily erected or knocked down, conveniently shipped in knocked down condition, and therefore capable of re-use many times. It will be further noticed that by reason of disposingof the external flanges so that they facilitate handling and hoisting of the package, I obviate what has heretofore been a great ob ection to metal packing. cases, to

wit, the fact that they cannot be readily handled because of theinability to get hold of them properly.

It will also be understood that this iinproved packin case may be made air tight and waters-proof, or may be ventilated, that it may be given special shape, and that the internal anchorage blockmay be disposed and fastened in anv convenient way without affecting the invention.

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a knock-down sheet metal containerhaving the four edges of'each blank side inclined and provided with a terminal outturned flange whereby the tops and bottoms can be nested together, the sides nested, and the ends nested, the said flanges being disposed on the inclined parts so that When' the box is set up the meeting flanges at the corner edges of the box will lie within the planes of the adjacent sides. r

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a knock down flat sided packing case having all its corners inclined, external fastenings on said corners for uniting the parts together, said fastenings being disposed so as to lie within the planes of all the adjacent flat sides of the case.

8. As an improved article of manufacture, a knock down packing case having fiat sides with abutting flanges meeting at all the corner edge portions of the case, said'flanges being disposed so as to lie within the planes of all the adjacent sides of the case.

4. A generally rectangular packing case having flat sides with the adjacent corner portions of the sides inclined and provided 1 with meeting flanges, the incline of one cor ROBERT W. STANLEY. 

